Proving Ground S
by Rhea's Teleplays
Summary: Annie Stohl has pled innocent even after evidence has fingered her as her rapist's killer. In a desperate attempt to clear her name, she kidnaps Detective Taylor and refuses to release him until he proves she is innocent.
1. Teaser

CSI: NY

Proving Ground

TEASER

FADE IN:

EXT. NEW YORK CITY (STOCK) - DAY

To establish.

EXT. NEW YORK COUNTY JAIL - DAY

A dozen female prisoners in orange jump suits file out of the county jail and onto a bus. Most of them are tough women who have been in and out of the system. They don't look at each other, but they do try staring down the guards.

The last on the bus are **ANNIE** Stohl and **INMATE #12**. This is Annie's first offense. She is in her early thirties, very short, with a mass of long, wavy auburn colored hair - Chocolate Almond to be exact.

INT. COUNTY JAIL BUS - DAY

Guards sit the two down in the last two seats and fasten chains from the bar on the floor around their handcuffs. All but two guards leave. One guard sits in the seat behind the driver's seat and the other remains standing at the back

The bus driver climbs aboard, shuts the door, and drive out onto the city streets. Minutes later a van pulls out in front of the bus and stops in the street, blocking the bus.

The van driver gets out, opens the back, and starts unloading boxes. The bus driver honks. The van driver flips him off and continues unloading his van.

Suddenly gunfire explodes from all direction, focused on the bus. The guards hit the floor. The inmates try to get down and four are killed. Annie is such a small woman that she can easily get to the floor and out of the line of fire.

The front door is broken down. The guard at the back motions Annie to get down further. Annie lies on the floor. The guard looks away and suddenly jumps to her feet. More gunfire. The guard is hit in the chest and falls. Annie reaches out to her.

ANNIE  
(whisper)  
Mellie!

Before Mellie can respond a bullet tears through her skull, splattering Annie and the area with blood and brains. Annie scrambles back against the side of the bus. She looks up when a **BAD GUY** comes into view, armed with a semi-automatic.

BAD GUY  
If you want out, put your hands up.

Annie holds up her hands and he unlocks her handcuffs.

BAD GUY  
Get the fuck outta here!

Annie is in shock and doesn't move

He turns to Inmate #12. He unlocks her cuffs as she stands and the two embrace with a lusty kiss. He grabs her hand and they start for the front of the bus.

Outside a gun is fired and it shakes Annie from her shock. She gets up and heads for the front. She glances at the bus driver lying on the floor as she steps over him. He has a head wound and appears to be dead.

EXT. COUNTY JAIL BUS - DAY

Annie steps off the bus into chaos. The neighborhood is frantic with what has just happened. Some inmates are attacking civilians for their cars or money, or just for the sheer fun of causing pain. Inmate #12 returns and charges at Annie with a gun aimed at her.

INMATE #12  
Move!

Annie looks back. The bus driver is reaching for the bus radio. He and Annie lock eyes. Annie turns back to Inmate #12.

ANNIE  
I will pay you not to shoot him.

That's the last thing the inmate was expecting to hear.

INMATE #12  
What?

ANNIE  
I will pay you a thousand dollars  
if you shoot the radio, leave the  
guard unharmed, and get me out  
of here.

The woman hesitates. She fires her gun over Annie's shoulder. Annie turns. Inmate #12 did shoot the radio, and it's showering sparks over the guard, but he's still alive.

INMATE #12  
(to Annie)  
Come on.

Annie and the guard lock eyes again. He has his hand on a gun.

ANNIE  
Put pressure on your head wound  
until the medics arrive.

She turns her back on him and walks away. She's afraid. The guard aims his gun at her back, but then lowers it, letting her walk away. She gets in a car with Inmate #12 and they leave the scene.

SMASH CUT:

OPENING CREDITS.

FADE OUT.

END OF TEASER


	2. Act One

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. NEW YORK CITY (STOCK) - DAY

To establish.

EXT. POILCE DEPARTMENT - DAY

In the parking lot, **MAC** climbs out of the back door of a Tahoe. He looks like he's had a wild night as he straightens his clothes and runs his fingers through his hair.

INT. CSI - RECEPTION - DAY

Mac enters the building and the receptionist, **REGINA**, waves him over.

REGINA  
Detective Taylor.

He walks over and she hands him a large stack of calls.

MAC  
(disbelief)  
These all came in while I was out  
for an hour?

REGINA  
You always tell me you love your  
job, Mac.

MAC  
You keep giving me stacks of calls  
this big, and I'm going to quit.

She laughs, getting a smile out of him.

REGINA  
The day you're not a CSI, Mac, is  
the day the world ends.

He nods as he walks away and heads upstairs.

INT. CSI - HALLWAY - DAY

The lab is unusually busy with more personnel than normal. Mac no sooner hits the top of the stairs and **STELLA**, **DANNY**, **LINDSAY**, and **HAWKES** come from all directions. Stella is loaded down with a huge stack of case files. Hawkes and Lindsay both carry papers.

They all start talking at the same time.

DANNY  
Boss, I gotta problem.

LINDSAY  
Mac, I need to you to go over these  
results. Something's not right here.

MAC  
Wait.

They don't stop.

STELLA  
These all need your John Hancock, Mac.

Mac pinches the bridge of his nose for a moment.

HAWKES  
I need you to look over this  
ballistics report.

MAC  
(firmer)  
Wait!

They stop, all thinking he's mad. However, when he smiles and chuckles softly, they relax.

MAC  
Okay, Danny what--

DA HILLARY (O.S.)  
Detective Taylor!

Mac looks around Stella. **DA HILLARY** stands in the doorway of his office. Graveyard supervisor, RONALD, is waiting inside the office. Mac smiles apologetically to his team.

MAC  
Sorry. They get me first.

He starts around Stella, but then stops and holds out the calls. The two exchange stacks of work.

DANNY  
This is really important, Mac.

MAC  
It can wait for a few minutes, Danny.

Mac walks on to his office. DA Hillary has gone back inside and the way he and Ronald are throwing their arms around, it's obvious they are fighting.

INT. MAC'S OFFICE - DAY

Mac opens his door and their fight stalls for a moment. He shuts the door behind him.

MAC  
What's the problem?

ROLAND  
We don't have a problem.

DA HILLARY  
The hell we don't! You're  
department lost case files!

They start fighting again, forgetting about Mac.

ROLAND  
Tom, when those files are logged  
into records, that's where CSI  
falls off the chain of custody! We  
are not responsible for them anymore!

He walks around them to his desk. It's stacked with dozens of case files. He pushes aside his keyboard to make room for the new stack.

DA HILLARY  
And what if one of your CSI checks  
them back out? Have you asked your CSI?

After hanging his jacket off his chair, Mac sits down and starts signing case files. He deposits the signed files in a box next to his desk.

ROLAND  
Why would they check them out? For  
what purpose? Mac, explain to--

The men's argument stops abruptly when they realize he's ignoring them.

ROLAND  
Mac?

He looks up at the two.

MAC  
What is this argument even about?

DA HILLARY  
The files for the Jared Rapston  
case are missing.

This means nothing to Mac. When he doesn't reply, DA Hillary adds:

DA HILLARY  
Jared Rapston, Internet entrepreneur?  
Two months ago, a woman who claims  
he raped her killed him?

None of this is ringing a bell for Mac.

ROLAND  
You signed off on the case file.  
You have to know about it.

Mac looks at the files surrounding him then back at the two.

MAC  
Signing case files is all I've been  
doing since the citizens of New  
York went on a crime spree three  
months ago. I'm sorry, gentlemen, I  
have no idea what case you're  
talking about.

DA HILLARY  
The police and I need those files.

MAC  
Why?

DA HILLARY  
The suspect, Anastasia Stohl, she  
escaped from transport a week ago.

MAC  
That name sounds familiar.

ROLAND  
She goes by Annie Stohl. During the  
break out she bribed an inmate not  
to shoot the bus driver.

MAC  
No. That's not it. I've--

DA HILLARY  
One small act of kindness does not  
mean she's a saint, Roland.  
(to Mac)  
We need those files to prosecute  
her when she's apprehended.

MAC  
If we can't find the originals,  
we'll have to make new ones.  
Roland, wake up your CSI and--

ROLAND  
(angry)  
My CSI aren't asleep, Mac. They  
haven't left and most haven't had  
more than a few hours sleep in weeks.

Mac ignores the attitude in Roland's response.

MAC  
Tom, we'll put together new case  
files with the evidence.

ROLAND  
Do you want us to go back to the  
crime scene?

MAC  
It hasn't been touched since the murder?

ROLAND  
No. Rapston's estate is tied up in  
a legal dispute between the ex-wife  
and his parents. There's a good  
chance no one's been in it since he  
was murdered.

MAC  
Then start there. I'll have my CSI  
run the evidence.  
(to Tom)  
Better?

DA HILLARY  
It's starting to be.

The two men leave and Mac sees Danny waiting in the hall. He motions him to come in.

DANNY  
You know how you told me yesterday  
that you thought there might be a  
connection with the Hydeman case  
and that strangler case in SOHO?

MAC  
Yes.

DANNY  
Okay. So I went down to check out  
the evidence from the strangler  
case. Simon, he asks me why I  
didn't sent my assistant down. I  
think he's playing, so I tell him I  
wish I had one. Then he gets mad  
and tells me some kid came down and  
picked up evidence with my badge.

Danny presents his badge to Mac.

DANNY  
Then I remembered that a couple  
days ago I lost my badge at a murder  
scene. Had to have a hundred deducted  
off my check to get this one.

MAC  
I remember. So what's the problem?

DANNY  
I'm not allowed to check anything  
out until he talks to you.

Mac pinches the bridge of his nose.

DANNY  
You okay, Mac?

MAC  
Yeah.

He hunts his phone down under the case files and dials an extension. **SIMON** Fredrick answers. He's an aging officer, die-hard Yankees fan, fourth generation American-Italian.

SIMON (ON PHONE)  
Evidence. Officer Fredrick.

MAC  
Simon, it's Mac. Seems there's some  
confusion today.

SIMON (ON PHONE)  
I'm not confused. That CSI of yours  
is. He comes down here, tells me he  
doesn't have an assistant, and gets  
mad when I say his joke isn't funny.

MAC  
Danny doesn't have an assistant. No  
CSI does.

Silence. Mac can almost hear the wheels turning. He looks up at Danny. The CSI is about to fall asleep on his feet. Mac gets his attention and motions to a chair. Danny collapses into it.

SIMON (ON PHONE)  
Then we gotta problem, Mac.

MAC  
What evidence was checked out?

Danny dozes off.

SIMON (ON PHONE)  
Gotta go look at the board. Hold on.

Hold music comes on. Mac picks up another case file, scrawls his name, tosses it in the box, and repeats.

SIMON (ON PHONE)  
Here's the case number...

Mac grabs a pad of paper and pen.

MAC  
Go ahead.

SIMON (ON PHONE)  
NYPS0433437.

MAC  
I'm sending him back down to pick  
up the evidence he needs. Alright?

SIMON (ON PHONE)  
I'll be waiting.

Mac hangs up, watching Danny sleep. He wouldn't wake him if he didn't need to.

MAC  
Danny?

DANNY  
(groggy)  
Cleared up?

With a yawn, Danny is back on his feet.

MAC  
Yeah.

He waits for Danny to leave before he pulls the case up on his computer. It brings up the computer files of Jared Rapston's murder. He dials another extension.

MAC  
Ronald, we have another problem  
with the Rapston evidence. It's  
been stolen too.

FADE OUT.

INT. MAC'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Still wearing the clothes he had on earlier, Mac is asleep face down on his bed. His tie dangles from his hand. He is startled when his cell phone starts ringing and vibrating on the bedside table. He fumbles to grab the device before it stops ringing.

MAC  
(groggy)  
This is Mac.

STELLA (ON PHONE)  
(apologetic)  
I woke you, didn't I?

MAC  
What's going on?

He sits up, looking at the alarm clock. The early morning hour glows brightly.

STELLA (ON PHONE)  
I have a quadruple at forty-seventh  
and Broadway. Looks gang related,  
and it's just Flack and me.

MAC  
Where's everyone else?

STELLA  
Everywhere else. We got hit again  
right after you left the lab.  
Roland even called in swing and  
every CSI he could pull from  
vacation to help out.

Mac yawns.

MAC  
I'll try to be there in thirty minutes.

STELLA (ON PHONE)  
Thank you. See you in a few.

Mac hangs up. He fumbles for the bedside light and sits for a minute. He kicks off his shoes and walks to his closet to pull out fresh clothes.

EXT. MAC'S TOWN HOME - NIGHT

Mac trots out of the building and crosses the street to his Tahoe. He reaches for the door handle as a person comes from behind the vehicle. The person points a gun at him. Mac almost reaches for his sidearm, but stops himself. Holding his keys, he lifts his hands and retreats a few steps.

The person under the hood of the sweatshirt is Annie Stohl, but her face is hidden in the deep shadow of the hood. The top of her head barely comes to Mac's chest.

ANNIE  
Get in the vehicle and into the  
passenger seat.

Mac holds out his keys.

MAC  
Take it.

ANNIE  
Get in the vehicle and into the  
passenger seat. Now.

She cocks the gun.

INT. CSI VEHICLE - NIGHT

Mac climbs into the passenger seat. Annie gets into the driver's seat and adjusts the seat for her height. Even with the dome light on, all that Mac can see is the tip of her nose. She shuts the door, turning to him in the dark.

ANNIE  
Put the key in the ignition and  
start it.

He complies.

ANNIE  
Buckle up.

MAC  
Buckle up?

ANNIE  
Yes.

He does as she tells him. She puts the vehicle in gear and pulls out into the street.

MAC  
What is this about?

ANNIE  
We'll talk about this later. When  
there's not an in-dash camera and  
microphone recording us.

He glances in the general direction of the camera and microphone.

EXT. 47TH AND BROADWAY - NIGHT

Stella is finishing paperwork when Detective **FLACK** joins her. She is trying to hide her worry in her work.

FLACK  
(quietly)  
Where is he?

She shakes her head. He dials his phone and it rings until Mac's voicemail comes on. Flack hangs up.

STELLA  
Still no answer?

He shakes his head.

FLACK  
I don't like this, Stella. He  
would'a called if he weren't coming.

A coroner comes up with paperwork. Behind him, Hawkes approaches the two. Stella takes the clipboard the coroner hands her and signs off on it. He leaves the three.

STELLA  
Why don't I go back with you, Don?  
We can stop by his place and see  
what's going on.

FLACK  
I'm thinking we should have the lab  
get a hold of LoJack.

STELLA  
Good idea. I gotta bad feeling  
about this.

FLACK  
Meet you at my car.

Flack walks away calling the lab. She turns to Hawkes.

STELLA  
There's a few things left and--

HAWKES  
Go, Stella. Find out where Mac is.  
I can finish up.

She smiles gratefully.

STELLA  
I'll call you.

She jogs away to catch up with Flack.

INT. IRON MILL - LIVING AREA - DAY

Mac is asleep in a ratty recliner. A three-day beard has grown in. The mellow lyrics of 'Pinpoint' (Spartan Fidelity) play somewhere nearby. He stretches as he wakes up, but one arm is restrained. He turns his head, staring at his wrist that's handcuffed to a water pipe. He looks around him.

Annie is sitting at a worn linoleum-top table typing on a laptop and surrounded by books. Behind her are a full sized bed and a worn dresser. On the other side of the area is a small kitchen and near him is a door that's cracked open. A boombox sitting on the counter is the source of the music.

Heavy plastic strips divide the room. Beyond that is a small CSI lab that is painted white, with white counters and an array of equipment all bunched together. Through the plastic, everything looks blurry. Mac looks back at Annie.

MAC  
Why did you kidnap me?

She turns in her chair to face him. When she speaks, she is very articulate.

ANNIE  
You were talking to Claire before  
you woke up. Was she your wife?

Mac refuses to talk about his wife with a kidnapper. Annie shrugs.

ANNIE  
You've slept for two days. You must  
have been extremely fatigued.

MAC  
You drugged me.

ANNIE  
The sedative was only for two to  
four hours.

MAC  
Why did you kidnap me?

She stands and moves her chair near the recliner, and sits down. Mac's eyes follow the gun in a hip holster.

ANNIE  
Someone once told me that being a  
CSI and catching criminals was in  
your blood. Is that true?

Mac has heard this before, but who said it eludes him.

MAC  
Who told you that?

ANNIE  
That isn't important. Jared  
Rapston's killer is walking free,  
and it isn't me. I need you to  
prove that.

MAC  
I'm just a CSI. I can't help you  
with that.

ANNIE  
Do not insult me with lies.

Mac watches her.

MAC  
How old are you?

She leans back. He's disappointed her.

ANNIE  
You never even read the case file  
before you signed it, did you?

MAC  
Not all of it, but I--

ANNIE  
How unfortunate. I was hoping this  
would take less time as some of the  
evidence is time sensitive.

MAC  
_You_ stole your own case files and evidence.

ANNIE  
Yes.

MAC  
With Danny's badge?

ANNIE  
Correct.

Mac shifts in his chair.

ANNIE  
I imagine you probably need to  
relieve yourself after having slept  
for three days.

He doesn't answer her. She thinks for a moment, looking somewhere else. She leans forward on her legs, watching the floor when she speaks again.

ANNIE  
I would like to present you with a  
proposal, Detective Taylor.

She knows how to entice him. A kidnapper with a proposal sparks his curiosity.

MAC  
What is your proposal?

ANNIE  
You will review the case files, and  
then you will interview me.

MAC  
Is that all?

ANNIE  
Certainly not. You will then  
examine the evidence. Then we will  
talk again about you helping me.

MAC  
And if I determine you're guilty?

ANNIE  
Other than it will prove you are an  
inadequate crime scene investigator?

The insult both surprises and annoys Mac.

MAC  
Yes.

ANNIE  
You'll go to sleep here and wake up  
safe in a motel.

He considers her proposal, and then nods to accept it.

MAC  
I accept your proposal.

She stands, retrieves a handcuff key from her pocket, and moves toward him. She notices him eyeing her gun.

ANNIE  
Let me make a few things clear,  
Detective Taylor.

He looks up at her face.

ANNIE  
This is an abandon iron mill on the  
edge of a very small town. It's  
been abandon for years and no one  
comes here. So screaming will only  
make you hoarse. The door has four  
locks and I'm wearing the only  
keys. And I have as long as it  
takes for you to do the job right  
this time. Do you understand?

They stare unflinching at each other. He nods. She unlocks the handcuff and moves back, motioning to the opened door. Mac walks in, pulling the light string.

INT. IRON MILL - BATHROOM - DAY

He closes the door and slips the hook on it through the eyescrew. The small, windowless room is simple: toilet, sink, stall shower with stained curtain. One on side milk crates are stacked up with towels and clothes.

Overhead large pipes pass from one wall to the other. Mac searches for anything that will help him escape.

ANNIE (O.S.)  
There are clothes for you in the  
second crate.

He stops, staring at his reflection in the cracked mirror. He scrubs his hand through the scraggly beard.

MAC  
I could use a shave.

ANNIE (O.S.)  
No. Do you want anything else?

He frowns, looking at the door. He's not escaping from this room.

MAC  
No.

Mac starts the shower, deciding to make the best of the situation.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT ONE


	3. Act Two

ACT TWO

FADE IN:

INT. CSI - GARAGE - DAY

Mac's Tahoe occupies a space. Danny, Hawkes, and Lindsay are being more diligent than usual as they examine the interior.

Lab tech **ADAM** Ross stands at the front with a laptop on the hood. Cables run to a box under the hood so he can download the audio and video from the hard drive. A window pops up on his screen when the download is complete.

ADAM  
Okay. I have it.

The CSI gather around him. Stella shows up just as the video begins playing. The video and audio roll in the middle of Mac and Annie's conversation.

ANNIE (O.S.)  
Buckle up.

MAC (O.S.)  
Buckle up?

DANNY  
Why would she want him to buckle up?

ANNIE (O.S.)  
Yes.

LINDSAY  
We don't even know why this woman  
kidnapped him.

Danny shrugs. Good point.

The camera shows the Tahoe pulling out into the street.

MAC (O.S.)  
What is this about?

ANNIE (O.S.)  
We'll talk about this later. When  
there's not an in-dash camera and  
microphone recording us.

They are silent for three blocks.

STELLA  
Adam, fast forward. We need to  
figure out where they went from the  
parking lot.

Adam fast-forwards until the Tahoe pulls into the parking lot of a large office complex. It's headed toward a white VW Passat. Danny points at the screen.

DANNY  
There. Stop, Adam.

ADAM  
We'll come back to it.

The Passat disappears off screen as the Tahoe parks beside it.

ANNIE (O.S.)  
Turn it off.

The Tahoe turns off.

LINDSAY  
Why is the camera still running?

ADAM  
It'll run for another five minutes  
after the engine is turned off.

ANNIE (O.S.)  
Empty your pockets on the floor.  
Put your sidearm under the seat.

They hear something heavy drop to the floor. Coins drop on the floor, more rustling.

HAWKES  
That explains why his sidearm,  
badge, wallet, and cell phone were  
on the floor.

ANNIE (O.S.)  
Get out.

They hear the door chime start when the dome light comes on behind the camera. They again hear the doors lock and then shut. The rest of the conversation is too soft for them to make out. After another minute, the headlights of the Passat come on, fading as she pulls away.

DANNY  
Go back to the car. See if you can  
get a license plate.

Adam stops the video and rewinds. He zooms in on the back and they share the defeat when they see it's covered.

STELLA  
I doubt she left the parking lot  
with it covered. I'll go back out  
and see if it's in that parking  
lot. Lindsay, pull Mac's credit  
cards. See if she used any of them.

ADAM  
I'll see if I can do anything with  
that soft audio. Maybe we'll get lucky.

STELLA  
Okay. Danny, Sheldon, are the two  
of you done processing the Tahoe?

HAWKES  
I am.

DANNY  
Almost.

STELLA  
Until we have more or she calls  
with her demands, you guys have to  
work on your other cases.

The other CSI nod and the team disperses. Danny returns to the Tahoe's driver seat. He finishes and finds nothing. He drops down, going over the floor. His flashlight stops on the gas pedal. There's a clot of mud that's dried in the grooves. He scrapes it off into an envelope and heads back upstairs.

INT. CSI - FINGERPRINT LAB - DAY

Danny is working at the AFIS computer, searching for multiple fingerprints. Lab Tech **TIFFANY** walks up and drops a piece of paper at his elbow. He picks it up, looking it over. She grins when he looks up at her.

TIFFANY  
You want the 'eh' news, the good  
news, or the bad news first?

DANNY  
Depress me then dazzle me.

TIFFANY  
The soil and dirt in the mud are  
pretty common - grey and blue  
sandstone, a little dolomite,  
feldspar, trace quartz. I found a  
beetle carcass. Its genus only  
snacks on trees from the Catskills.

DANNY  
That will help narrow the search  
down some.

TIFFANY  
But I haven't told you the good news.

DANNY  
That wasn't it?

TIFFANY  
Nope. I stuck some of it in the  
chromatograph. I found refined  
iron. Nature doesn't make refined iron.

Danny smiles at the printouts.

DANNY  
It came from near an iron mill.

TIFFANY  
Ya know, I kinda like Mac. He lets  
me wear bikinis as long as I keep  
my lab coat on. I hope this helps  
find him.

Danny slowly looks up at her, surprised by the too much information she just gave him. He looks at the bare spot on her chest, then her face.

DANNY  
Me too, Tif.

Danny pulls his cell phone from his belt and dials.

She leaves.

STELLA (ON PHONE)  
Stella.

DANNY  
Got some good news. Found some mud  
on the gas pedal and Tiffany told  
me we're looking for some place in  
the Catskills with an iron mill nearby.

STELLA  
Well that doesn't narrow it down much.

EXT. OFFICE COMPLEX PARKING LOT - DAY

Stella has pushed into the stiff bushes that border the parking lot.

DANNY (ON PHONE)  
Any luck finding what was covering  
the license plate?

He no sooner asks the question when she spots a piece of cardboard with black electrical tape on it - just like the piece in the video. She smiles.

STELLA  
You must be magic, Danny. I just  
found it. Start doing a search for  
a VW Passat with the trace restrictions.

DANNY  
I'm on it.

They hang up. Stella pulls on a glove and picks up the cardboard. With the naked eye, she doesn't see anything on it. She starts climbing out of the bushes.

INT. IRON MILL - CSI LAB - DAY

Four white, wide tables crowded with equipment surround a central counter. Extension cords run off to the outlets around the area, but none of them cross the middle. Except at the end near the plastic curtain where the power cord of Annie's laptop stretches to the nearest power strip.

She is surrounded by books about marine life, mainly whales. She occasionally stops typing to refer to them. On the other end of the counter Mac sits on a barstool reading a case file. He's dressed in worn jeans, sneakers, and a flannel shirt. His beard has thickened.

Around his ankle is an ankle cuff that looks like it was made for Houdini. To unlock it, the levers on it must be maneuvered in the correct order. A chain is welded to the cuff and attached to a large bolt in the center of the makeshift lab. He reaches down and scratches around the top of the cuff.

MAC  
Do I have to wear this all the time?

ANNIE  
I don't believe I will let a  
trained special ops Marine have  
free run in a place with chemicals  
and sharp instruments.

Mac looks up at her.

MAC  
What is your mother's name?

ANNIE  
That's in the case files.

MAC  
I haven't read that far. What--

ANNIE  
Then keep reading.

MAC  
You said I could interview you.

She looks up and he holds her gaze. She closes her laptop, so he grabs a pad of paper and pen.

MAC  
Where did you get all this equipment?

ANNIE  
I borrowed it.

MAC  
You are smart enough to know that is not borrowing.

She doesn't defend her opinion, so he moves on.

MAC  
After Jared Rapston raped you, did  
you go to an emergency room?

ANNIE  
Yes.

MAC  
Did they collect a rape kit?

The question makes her noticeably uncomfortable.

MAC  
Did they or not?

ANNIE  
Only some of it.

MAC  
Why?

She closes her eyes, revealing some emotion when a tear slides down her face.

ANNIE  
I... Was a virgin. I... Couldn't  
withstand any more humiliation  
that night.

That wasn't the answer he was expecting.

MAC  
What did they collect?

ANNIE  
The nurse used a comb and swabbed  
the exterior.

He flips pages in a case file, notes something and moves on to his next question.

MAC  
On the day Jared Rapston was  
killed, you were working for On  
Time Delivery?

She nods.

MAC  
Did you recognize the address 9234  
thirty-fifth avenue?

ANNIE  
I did not.

He opens another case file and flips through the pages till he finds what he's looking for.

MAC  
You didn't recognize the name  
Michelle Rapston?

ANNIE  
No.

MAC  
And the last name Rapston didn't  
cause you to wonder about the residence?

ANNIE  
If it had been the month after he  
raped me, perhaps. I ceased being  
paranoid about a name; it was  
illogical. And the person's first  
name was Michelle, a woman. I had  
no cause to be suspicious.

Mac flips back a few pages.

MAC  
She asked for you specifically.  
Your boss told the CSI it was  
normal for people to request  
specific delivery persons and that  
you were among her top five that  
were requested daily. Must have  
been a good worker.

ANNIE  
Yes. I was. Until I was falsely  
accused of murder.

Mac glances at her. Did he detect sarcasm?

MAC  
I want you to tell me what you  
remember when you arrived at  
the apartment.

She closes her eyes and begins retelling of that night.

**INT. MICHELLE RAPSTON'S APT BLDG - NIGHT (RE-ENACTMENT)**

**Annie trots up the steps of the brownstone apartment building. She glances at her deliver pad and stops at a door. She turns to the apartment door behind her and stares. The door's ajar and lights are on inside. She slips the delivery pad into the holster on her belt and knocks.**

**ANNIE  
On Time Delivery.**

**The door swings open to reveal a living room and a wall that blocks the view into the kitchen. Blood has pooled from around the corner. The fluid hasn't had time to clot or separate.**

**ANNIE  
Hello?**

**INT. MICHELLE RAPSTON'S APARTMENT - NIGHT (RE-ENACTMENT)**

**Slowly she walks into the apartment. At the corner and edge of the blood pool, she finds Jared Rapston lying on his back with a knife stuck in his chest. He's still alive and trying to pull the knife out. She drops her package and--**

**MAC (O.S.)  
Wait a minute.**

**BACK TO SCENE**

ANNIE  
What?

He searches through the case files.

MAC  
Where's the coroner's report?

She doesn't answer. He looks up, seeing she's surprised. She gets up and goes through the files and evidence boxes. She turns, mortified by her oversight.

MAC  
You didn't get the coroner's report?

ANNIE  
Shouldn't it have been with the  
case files or evidence?

MAC  
If we didn't have Sid Hammerback as  
our coroner, yeah. He doesn't file  
things for months.

He stands up.

MAC  
Come here.

She approaches and stops several feet away.

MAC  
I need you right here. In front of me.

He points to the spot. She approaches warily, her hand resting on the pistol holstered at her side. Mac eyes it, but doesn't make a move for it. He picks up his pen and her hand. He refers to a case file to position the pen as he imagined Jared Rapston's killer held the knife.

**MAC'S POV**

**In his mind, he sees them in the apartment's kitchen. Jared Rapston towers over Annie Stohl. **

**MAC (O.S.)  
Do you work out?**

**ANNIE (O.S.)  
No.**

She lunges at him with the knife. The knife slides into Jared Rapston below his heart and in the wrong location. Mac's mental scenario adds the stab wounds over his heart. Next, he envisions her running at Jared Rapston, but again the wounds are below the heart.

**MAC (O.S.)  
Do you play sports? Anything that  
gives you upper body strength?**

**ANNIE (O.S.)  
I used to jog five miles every day.**

**He imagines her standing on something and suddenly the motion freezes. He circles the image of the two before reality bursts in.**

BACK TO SCENE

He shakes his head.

MAC  
You're too short. So you either  
have impressive upper body strength  
or an accomplice.

ANNIE  
Was there no mention of the  
neighbor that came to assist when I  
screamed for help? Did that man see  
an accomplice?

MAC  
No. But that doesn't mean the  
accomplice couldn't have left  
before you screamed.

She throws the pen at him and storms out of the lab area. Through the plastic, he can see her blurred image, but can't tell what she's doing.

ANNIE (O.S.)  
This was a complete waste of time!

He can hear her unlock the door locks.

MAC  
What are you doing?

ANNIE (O.S.)  
Going to get Chinese before I do  
something drastic such as shoot you!

MAC  
Do I get to order anything?

The door slams open. Even though she doesn't answer right away, Mac waits. He hears the door creak.

ANNIE (O.S.)  
(tired)  
What do you want?

MAC  
Hot and sour soup with won tons in  
it and General Tao's chicken.

She doesn't answer right away.

MAC  
I'll make you a deal. You bring me  
back my order; I'll start working  
on a piece of evidence.

ANNIE (O.S.)  
Swindler.

MAC  
You kidnapped me, remember?

ANNIE (O.S.)  
Fine.

The door closes and he hears her turn the locks. Mac listens, waiting with baited breath. He looks around, grabs a scalpel and drops to one knee. He looks over the ankle cuff and realizes there's no lock. He drops the scalpel and tries to figure out the levers, but he can't.

He sits down on the floor, frustrated. His eyes drift up to the evidence boxes. He picks up the scalpel, dropping it on the counter, and opens a box. He pulls the bagged murder weapon out - a large kitchen knife with flat, brass screws holding the handle on it. Mac sets it on the counter and uses rubbing alcohol to sterilize everything.

He pulls out the knife and takes it apart. With a cotton swab, he swabs blood from the piece that attached into the knife handle and prepares to run it for DNA. He puts it in a machine before returning to read case files.

INT. CSI - FINGERPRINT LAB - DAY

With a smile, Stella removes the piece of cardboard from the fume hood. There are four prints on the cardboard and a partial print on the electrical tape.

She places the cardboard under a digital camera and snaps photos of the prints. She brings the photos up on the AFIS computer, and starts a search. Hawkes walks up, watching the screen with her.

HAWKES  
There are prints?

STELLA  
A partial and four full.

The four fingerprints on the cardboard belong to Mac. The search continues on the partial. 'No Match' suddenly appears on the screen. She pushes her fingers into her hair to hide her frustration. It's not something she can hide from Hawkes.

HAWKES  
I have an idea.

He enlarges the print and then prints it off. He grabs a marker of the same thickness as the lines and starts drawing lines.

STELLA  
What are you doing?

HAWKES  
Sixty percent of prints have loop  
patterns, which this looks like it  
had here near the center. It will  
give the computer more points to  
search for.

He puts it on a scanner, scans it into the AFIS computer and starts a search.

HAWKES  
With a guestimate as to where the  
loop may have been, we might get  
a hit.

STELLA  
And that person may not be his kidnapper.

He looks at her.

HAWKES  
That's why we still talk to people, Stella.

She smiles. Adam walks up behind them as the screen populates. He's carrying a mini tape recorder in his hand.

STELLA  
Annie Stohl.

ADAM  
How'd you guess?

They turn.

STELLA  
What?

ADAM  
Mac said her name. Here. Listen

He hands the tape recorder to Stella. She pushes play and the conversation starts as Danny and Lindsay enter the lab.

ANNIE (V.O.)  
Go around to the back of the car.

They hear soft footsteps on pavement.

ANNIE (V.O.)  
Pull off the cardboard.

Silence for a moment.

ANNIE (V.O.)  
To the passenger side. Get in.

Footsteps again. They hear the Passat beep when she unlocks the doors.

MAC (V.O.)  
What is that?

ANNIE (V.O.)  
It's harmless.

MAC (V.O.)  
(loudly)  
You're Annie Stohl.  
(beat)  
Why are you kidnapping me?

ANNIE (V.O.)  
Sleep, Detective Taylor. You're no  
good to me tired.

Stella stops the tape.

LINDSAY  
She didn't want him tired? That's  
not exactly something you'd hear a  
kidnapper say if they were planning  
on hurting him.

DANNY  
And since she hasn't called for  
ransom, she apparently doesn't want  
money. So what does this crazy  
woman want?

LINDSAY  
There was a news report about her  
last night. It said she's been  
pleading innocent since this started.

Stella starts to voice her opinion but is cut off.

HAWKES  
All criminals usually claim that.

LINDSAY  
Yeah, but... Her case files and  
evidence are missing. What if she  
took them?

HAWKES  
How would she have done that?

ADAM  
She used the badge Danny lost. Twice.

The CSI look at him.

ADAM  
She was on the surveillance tapes.  
I mean, she was dressed like a boy,  
but with a pretty face like that,  
she couldn't really hide it.

He motions at her mug shot.

HAWKES  
So why Mac?

Stella tries again to interject, and again is cut off.

DANNY  
He's a CSI.

LINDSAY  
We're all CSI, and I'm sorry, guys,  
we're low profile compared to Mac.  
Taking one of us would have drawn  
far less attention than taking the  
head of the department.

DANNY  
Maybe it's all about the media attention.

When Stella tries again to voice her opinion, they cut her off again. She's starting to lose her temper.

HAWKES  
No. If she wanted attention, she  
would have made some kind of  
statement by now.

DANNY  
He signed her case file. I  
overheard him talking to DA Hillary  
and Ronald about it.

LINDSAY  
That would be enough motive.

STELLA  
It doesn't matter why she took him!

The CSI and Adam look at her, silenced by her outburst. She's not hiding her frustration anymore.

STELLA  
We are focusing on finding him. Okay?

They nod.

STELLA  
Danny, did you get anything about a  
white Passat?

DANNY  
There are to many white VW Passats  
near iron mills and the Catskills.  
I've got at least five towns we  
could search.

STELLA  
We have to start somewhere. Pick one.

DANNY  
The Sheriff in Grahamsville was the  
most helpful.

STELLA  
You and Lindsay go.

The two leave.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO


	4. Act Three

ACT THREE

FADE IN:

INT. IRON MILL - CSI LAB - DAY

Mac is reading again. His beard has filled in more and he's changed worn clothes for another set of worn clothes. He looks up at Annie on the other side of the counter. She's reading a book about whales.

MAC  
More books on whales, huh?

She doesn't answer.

MAC  
I noticed none of your family was  
interviewed. Why was that?

She looks up at him.

ANNIE  
Most of my family died when I was  
young. Both of my parents worked in  
the north tower and were killed on 9/11.

Hearing that her parents died the same day as his wife did bothers Mac. She notices.

ANNIE  
Claire died in one of the towers,  
didn't she? Which one?

Mac doesn't answer.

MAC  
I really need the coroner's report, Annie.

ANNIE  
Do you suppose I can walk in with  
your CSI's badge and pick it up now  
that I've kidnapped you?

Mac's eyes snap up to glare at her. She returns it.

MAC  
I don't need the sarcasm.

ANNIE  
Then don't make ridiculous suggestions.

She slams her book shut and walks out of the lab. Through the plastic, he can see her pacing.

MAC  
I need to know the angle of the  
stab wounds, Annie.

ANNIE (O.S.)  
And I need my life back!

They don't speak for a moment.

MAC  
I could call the coroner and get  
the information.

ANNIE (O.S.)  
They would trace the call the  
minute someone realized it was you.

She comes back in with a cell phone.

ANNIE  
What if the DA's assistant called  
for the information? Does that happen?

MAC  
Probably.

ANNIE  
Write down the coroner's name, what  
you want to know, and the phone number.

Mac does as she tells him. She dials the number and an ASSISTANT answers.

ASSISTANT (ON PHONE)  
Morgue.

ANNIE  
May I speak to Doctor Sid Hammerback?

ASSISTANT (ON PHONE)  
Just a second.

She hears the assistant calling for Sid. After a moment, **SID** comes to the phone.

SID (ON PHONE)  
This is Doctor Hammerback.

Annie's voice changes suddenly. It is more relaxed and she downplays her vocabulary.

ANNIE  
Hi! I'm Ange Jordan and just  
started as an assistant to DA Tom  
Hillary. He had some questions  
about the Jared Rapston autopsy report.

SID (ON PHONE)  
Case number.

She glances at the case file underhand.

ANNIE  
NYPS0433437.

SID (ON PHONE)  
I've got it here. Where do you want  
it faxed?

ANNIE  
I just have a couple of questions.  
Do you mind?

SID (ON PHONE)  
Sure. What do you want to know?

ANNIE  
How many stab wounds were above and  
below the sternum?

SID (ON PHONE)  
All were above the sternum.

She writes his answers under the questions.

ANNIE  
What was the cause of death?

SID (ON PHONE)  
Arterial hemorrhaging.

ANNIE  
Do you have the measurements of the  
stab wounds?

SID (ON PHONE)  
I think it would be easier if I  
faxed this over. What's the number?

ANNIE  
It's the last question. I--

SID (ON PHONE)  
Miss, I don't have time to give you  
all eighteen. Just give me the fax number.

She looks at Mac and he holds her gaze. She realizes he set her up.

SID (ON PHONE)  
Miss?

Her voice and vocabulary switch.

ANNIE  
Do not disconnect, Doctor Hammerback.

SID (ON PHONE)  
Who is this?

She hands Mac the phone.

ANNIE  
You have three minutes to get the  
information you need, starting now.

Mac snatches the phone away.

MAC  
Sid, I need information fast.

INT. SID'S OFFICE - DAY

Hearing Mac's voice stuns Sid for a second.

SID  
(loud)  
Mac, where are you? Are you okay?

Everyone looks up. Sid motions his assistant to him. The man jogs in.

MAC (ON PHONE)  
I'm fine, and I can't tell you. I  
need some answers from that file.

Sid grabs a pad of paper and marker and writes: Mac is on my line! Tell Adam Ross to trace this call NOW!

The assistant runs out of the room.

EXT. GRAHAMSVILLE - DAY

Lindsay and Danny walk along the main street of the small town. People are friendly and most pass with a smile. Tired and frustrated, the two CSI aren't feeling very friendly. Lindsay stops walking, looking across the street. Danny doesn't notice.

LINDSAY  
Hey. Do you want to get something  
to eat? There's a Chinese  
restaurant across the street.

He stops, glances at it and then shakes his head.

DANNY  
There's only one Chinese restaurant  
I go to, and it's not any of the  
four this town has.

He keeps walking, but she stops and stares at the restaurant as an idea manifests. She runs after him and catching his arm.

LINDSAY  
Danny... You know when we order  
Chinese at work and you always  
complain about that thing Mac  
orders. What is it? What's he  
always order that's so strange?

He thinks for a moment.

DANNY  
Hot and sour soup with won tons in  
it. No egg rolls. Why?

LINDSAY  
What if she took the files, the  
evidence, and kidnapped Mac so he  
could find the proof she was  
innocent?

DANNY  
You got all that from soup?

LINDSAY  
No! If she wants him to help her,  
she probably is going to treat him  
real good. The four Chinese  
restaurants and that diner on the  
corner are the only places with  
takeout. She might have ordered  
takeout and he would have asked for  
that soup.

DANNY  
And this is all based on soup?

LINDSAY  
Do you know anyone else that orders it?

DANNY  
No.

LINDSAY  
Can you think of anything else to try?

DANNY  
Not really.

LINDSAY  
I'll take that one and the one we  
passed. You go to the other two.

They split up.

INT. PAPER LANTERN - DAY

Lindsay walks in. Behind the counter is the **OWNER**, a slight, Oriental woman. She picks up a menu, smiling. Lindsay returns it.

OWNER  
Just one?

LINDSAY  
No. I'm a criminalist from the New  
York City Crime Lab.  
(she shows her badge)  
I was wondering if you've had  
anyone come in and placed an  
unusual soup order. Hot and sour  
soup with won ton in it?

The woman's brow dips and Lindsay braces herself for 'no'.

OWNER  
Yes. Every day she come in, order  
enough for six people. Always the  
same order too. And she never want  
the egg roll. Everyone want egg rolls.

Lindsay can't believe her luck.

LINDSAY  
Has she been in today?

OWNER  
You missed her. She was here four  
hours ago, at noon. Every day at noon.

Lindsay fishes out a business card, grabs a pen and writes a phone number on the back. She hands it to the woman.

LINDSAY  
When she comes in again, call me  
right after she leaves. Please.

OWNER  
Okay.

Lindsay rushes out of the restaurant, dialing her cell phone. She stops, smiling.

LINDSAY  
Danny! That soup was ordered here.  
I'll meet you back at the Sheriff's  
office. We have to find out if  
there are any iron mills nearby.

She turns and jogs down the sidewalk.

INT. IRON MILL - CSI LAB - DAY

On his notepad, Mac has drawn the outline of a human and marks the stab wounds on it. He holds the cell phone against his shoulder so he can write and talk, he jots notes around the figurine.

MAC  
Sid, give me measurements of four  
wounds that penetrated the heart,  
and four that didn't.

SID (ON PHONE)  
There weren't any that didn't. His  
killer stabbed in the same place  
eighteen times.

MAC  
What about the bones?

SID (ON PHONE)  
They all show marks from the same weapon.

MAC  
And the angle?

ANNIE  
(quietly)  
One minute.

SID (ON PHONE)  
Downward angle of ten degrees.

MAC  
What did you guess the assailant's  
height at?

SID (ON PHONE)  
At that angle, the assailant had to  
be close to the same height. Five  
foot eight or five foot nine.

MAC  
And the depth of the wounds?

SID (ON PHONE)  
Ten inches. The entire length of  
the murder weapon.

Mac stares at the diagram.

MAC  
You're sure it was the full length  
of the blade?

SID (ON PHONE)  
Yes. There was bruising on the skin  
where the handle--

Annie snatches the phone away. She starts losing it as she powers it off. She claws at the back, trying to pull the battery cover off. Failing to do that she throws the phone across the room. Mac jumps to his feet, backing away from her.

The phone shatters as she screams. She leans against a counter, bursting into tears. Sinking to the floor, she hugs her knees as she cries. Mac does nothing and he doesn't take his eyes off her.

INT. CSI - A.V. LAB - DAY

On Adam's computer the trace of the phone call is working. Stella and Hawkes stand behind him. The trace stops when the call drops, but the last connection is a tower in Grahamsville.

Adam spins around, surprised to find Stella and Hawkes behind him. He shakes it fast.

ADAM  
All I got was Grahamsville, but we  
already knew that much.

STELLA  
Was it the kidnapper? Who did she call?

ADAM  
It was Mac. He called Sid.

HAWKES  
Why?

Stella makes a phone call.

STELLA  
Hey, Sid... Yeah, Adam got the  
trace. What did Mac talk to you about?

She grabs a pen and paper.

STELLA  
I'm ready.

Mac and her diagrams are nearly identical.

STELLA  
Thanks, Sid.

She hangs up and shakes her head some.

STELLA  
Something is wrong with this. The  
wounds all penetrated at a ninety-  
degree angle. Adam, pull up Jared  
Rapston's case. He's six foot  
three, right?

Adam goes to a computer and pulls up the case.

ADAM  
Yeah. He is.

STELLA  
And how tall is Annie Stohl?

ADAM  
It says four foot eleven.

Stella and Hawkes look at each other.

STELLA  
There is no way this woman killed  
Jared Rapston.

HAWKES  
Unless there was an accomplice.

She slowly shakes her head, looking back at the picture.

STELLA  
(stunned)  
No. Mac's going on the assumption  
there was no accomplice. How on  
Earth did she convince him to help her?

Hawkes looks at the drawing. It's now speaking volumes to him.

HAWKES  
I can't wait to meet her.

FADE TO:

EXT. FIELD OF WEEDS - DAY

Annie tromps through waist high weeds carrying a bag of Chinese takeout. In the distance is an abandon, derelict iron mill that nature has begun to reclaim. She looks up when she hears cars approaching and sees four cop cars speeding toward her.

She drops the bag and runs for the nearby woods, away from the mill. The cars stop at the edge of the trees. The Sheriff, his deputies, Danny, and Lindsay jump out to chase her. Danny pulls away from the group, quickly closing the gap between him and Annie.

When he's close enough, he tackles her. She goes down fighting and screaming. He sees her hand go for her weapon and struggles with her for it. The gun goes off sandwiched between them, but neither stop fighting. The officers arrive and help restrain and handcuff her.

Danny grabs her weapon and his brow creases into a deep furrow. Lindsay walks up.

LINDSAY  
What is it?

He aims the weapon at a tree, and fires. The tree is unharmed. He turns and charges through the officers, grabbing the front of Annie's shirt.

DANNY  
(furious)  
You kidnapped him with a cap gun?

She pulls away from him and he lets her go.

DANNY  
Get her out of here!

LINDSAY  
Danny, it's just a toy gun. That's  
a good thing.

DANNY  
A good thing?

LINDSAY  
Yes. If she was using a fake gun,  
it indicates she didn't want him to  
get hurt. Maybe she really didn't  
kill Jared Rapston.

Danny is too angry to hear reason. He leans into Lindsay, snarling with rage.

DANNY  
Yeah? Well she really kidnapped our  
boss. That makes her a criminal in  
my book.

He storms away. With a sigh, she follows.

INT. GRAHAMSVILLE POLICE STATION ROOM - DAY

Annie is handcuffed to a table. She's dirty and defeated. She stares at the table with no hope left. Danny walks in with a pen and paper and slaps them on the table in front of her.

DANNY  
Draw me a map. There's a thousand  
places you could'a hid him in that  
mill. You're going to show me where  
he's at.

She doesn't move. Danny leans on the table, staring into her eyes.

DANNY  
Did you kill him already?

She doesn't answer.

DANNY  
DID YOU KILL HIM?

She barely shakes her head.

DANNY  
No? He's alive?

She doesn't answer. He grabs the pen, slaps it on the pad of paper, and pushes it in front of her.

DANNY  
Where... is... he?

A tear slides down her face.

DANNY  
Don't cry. You don't have any right  
to cry!

That only makes her cry more.

DANNY  
Where is he? Where did you put him?  
Draw it. Now!

He grabs the pen and shoves it into her hand. She pulls away from him. Danny slaps the pen on the pad and turns, trying to calm his anger.

With his back to her, she picks up the pen. Hands shaking, she draws a map, and with an X marks where Mac is hidden. Danny turns to yell at her and stops, staring at the map. He picks it up.

DANNY  
He's here?

She doesn't answer.

DANNY  
Is he here or not?

She doesn't answer. He rubs his finger over his lip for a second.

DANNY  
I'm going here to look. If I don't  
find him, or he is in less than  
good shape, I will make it my  
personal mission to see you locked  
away for life.

She doesn't respond. Danny walks to the door and an officer opens it.

DANNY  
Transport her back to New York.

He nods and Danny leaves.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE


	5. Act Four

ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

INT. IRON MILL - CSI LAB - DAY

Armed with a red pen, Mac is reading a stack of printed papers. He makes a mark on the paper and continues reading. A nearby printer spits out DNA test results. He takes off the sheet and compares it to another. They do not match.

He looks at the door when he hears the locks on the door unlock. A blur of several people pass across the plastic. He hears different voices in the room and over radios.

DANNY (O.S.)  
Mac? Mac, you in here?

MAC  
Danny?

The people head toward him and he smiles when Danny and Lindsay come through the plastic with Deputies. Lindsay runs up to him and gives him a vicious hug. He laughs. She steps back, staring at his face.

LINDSAY  
You have a beard!

MAC  
I noticed.

He sees a Deputy reaching for bagged evidence.

MAC  
Don't touch that.

The Deputy pulls back. Mac turns to his CSI.

MAC  
One of you gather up all the  
Rapston files and evidence and  
transport it back to the lab.  
There's evidence in the fridge  
here, be sure to get it.

He hands the print outs to Lindsay.

MAC  
There is another five of these over  
by the other printer. Grab those.  
And take this computer.  
(points to a computer)  
Officer...

He waits for the man to turn to him.

MAC  
All this equipment belongs to  
someone. Find out who and get it  
back to them. And I need a bolt  
cutter.

Everyone looks down at the chain attached to his ankle cuff. Lindsay drops to a knee to look at it.

MAC  
Where's Annie?

DANNY  
On her way back to New York to be  
processed.

MAC  
She wasn't hurt when she was  
arrested, was she?

Danny stares at him. Lindsay stands.

DANNY  
She's fine. Do you want us to  
process this place too?

MAC  
The local officers have it.

LINDSAY  
I'll go find bolt cutters.

DANNY  
I'll go find a cooler.

Mac watches the two leave. He sits back down on the barstool staring at the stack of papers he was reading.

INT. CSI - INTERVIEW ROOM A - DAY

Annie sits at the table, staring at her lap. She doesn't look up when the door opens. The person grabs a chair and brings it around to her side. The person puts a foot on the chair and pulls a pant leg up, revealing the Houdini ankle cuff. She looks up at Mac. He hasn't had time to shave.

MAC  
Please take this thing off.

She moves the levers and the cuff comes off. Mac takes it as he sits down, looking it over.

MAC  
Was it really Houdini's?

ANNIE  
The eBay auction said it was.

Although slight, it's the first smile they share.

MAC  
You know you're in a lot of  
trouble, don't you?

She slowly nods.

MAC  
I have to run evidence on your case  
but I'm asking a friend to stay  
with you. Until he gets here, don't  
talk to anyone. Do you understand?

She nods.

MAC  
Hang in there.

He stands up.

ANNIE  
Why are you still helping me?

MAC  
It's my responsibility to make sure  
evidence and cases have been processed  
correctly. I failed that responsibility.

ANNIE  
So you're doing this for you?

MAC  
The end result will help you.

She holds his gaze.

ANNIE  
(softly)  
Would Claire approve?

The remark freezes Mac. She's reached a spot very few people know about. He turns and leaves the room.

INT. CSI - HALLWAY - DAY

His CSI and Flack exit the observation room. What just happened has them confused and concerned about him.

FLACK  
What are you doing? They're sending  
up officers to question her about  
kidnapping you.

Mac ignores his question and jumps into supervisor mode.

MAC  
Hawkes, I want you to pull out the  
clothes and look for an auburn hair  
that fluoresces. Test DNA against  
all the donors from the case.  
Danny, under the hilt of the knife,  
there's blood of both Jared and  
someone else's. See if it matches  
the hair Hawkes is going to find.  
Stella, go over her case files and  
find all the errors in it. There  
are a lot. While Hawkes and Danny  
are waiting for DNA results, they  
can help you work through the ten  
hours of her interview.

STELLA  
Ten hours?

MAC  
Yeah. Lindsay, you and I need to  
go over the stab wounds. We have  
to figure out how tall Jared Rapston's  
real killer was. I'll meet you in  
the lab in ten minutes.

His CSI don't question their orders as they disperse with their assignments, leaving Mac and Flack alone. Mac looks over the ankle device -- this could become something he may always have around just so he can unravel the secret of unlocking it one day.

MAC  
I should have caught this, Don. I  
should have seen these errors and I  
didn't. I owe her this much.

FLACK  
Are you sure this isn't  
something... else? Sometimes captives  
develop feelings for their captor.

MAC  
This isn't Stockholm Syndrome.

Flack is reluctant to accept that answer, but he lets it go.

FLACK  
About this friend you want to sit  
with her...

MAC  
Take care of her for me, Flack.

Mac looks back at him.

MAC  
Make sure her rights aren't  
infringed on again.

Flack nods as Mac leaves. Flack grabs a box of tissues from the observation room and goes into the room. He sits down next to her, setting the box on the table.

ANNIE  
Are you Detective Taylor's friend?

FLACK  
Yeah. Do you need anything?

She shakes her head, taking a tissue. They don't speak again.

INT. CSI - OBSERVATION ROOM - DAY

**MICHELLE** Rapston is a tall woman standing five foot nine or more. She stands at the observation window, watching Annie and Flack. Flack sits across from Annie fiddling with his cell phone. An officer stands by the door.

Mac enters carrying a file. He has shaved and wears business casual. He motions the officer to step out.

MICHELLE  
Are you who called and asked me to  
identify my ex-husband's killer?

She pauses, but before he can answer, answers:

MICHELLE  
That's her. I can't believe someone  
so young could be such a monster.

Michelle doesn't look at him, so she doesn't see his dark, angry expression.

MAC  
I was going over the case file. You  
told the CSI that interviewed you  
that you were at a play when your  
husband was killed.

MICHELLE  
Yes. I was at The Farnsworth Invention.

Mac opens the files, looking over a sheet.

MAC  
You said it was a seven o'clock  
show on a Saturday?

Michelle turns her attention to him when Stella enters. Stella sets a piece of paper in the file in front of Mac. Stella watches Annie and Flack.

MAC  
But that play wasn't showing at  
seven o'clock on Saturdays.

MICHELLE  
I'm sorry. I really don't remember  
what time it was, Detective... I  
don't believe I caught your name?

MAC  
Mac Taylor.

MICHELLE  
Oh! She kidnapped you. It was all  
over the news. I'm glad you're alright.

He doesn't acknowledge the statement.

MAC  
You told the interviewing CSI that  
you hadn't seen or spoken to your  
ex-husband at all that day.

MICHELLE  
I rarely spoke to or saw him. Why  
are you asking all these questions?

He ignores her question.

MAC  
So why was he in your apartment  
when he was murdered?

Stella turns, watching Michelle. The woman is starting to sense that there is something these two are looking for. She smiles nervously at Stella, who returns it with a cold smile.

MAC  
Mrs. Rapston?

MICHELLE  
He owned it. I was living there  
until the divorce was finalized.

MAC  
But you just said you rarely saw  
him. How did he get in?

MICHELLE  
He had a key. I think I'd like to  
leave now.

She steps toward the door as Mac continues with the interview.

MAC  
If you never saw him that day, how  
did your hair get on his shirt?

She stops.

MICHELLE  
My hair?

MAC  
Yes. And judging from the root  
growth, you must have dyed it  
auburn maybe four weeks before.

MICHELLE  
I don't dye my hair.

Stella pulls a paper free from the file.

STELLA  
So you deny going to Stylz three  
weeks earlier and requesting the  
color Chocolate Almond?

MICHELLE  
Oh! Yes. I did. I was presenting  
awards at my ladies club.

Mac looks at her.

MAC  
Did you know that color matches  
Annie's hair color?

MICHELLE  
No. I didn't. What are the chances?

He's done playing this game.

MAC  
Pretty good for someone trying to  
frame another woman for her ex-  
husband's murder. We did some  
digging, Mrs. Rapston. Your husband  
was divorcing you on grounds of  
infidelity, which nullified your  
prenuptial agreement. But he hadn't  
changed the will yet, and it still  
gave you three-quarters of his  
estate. The morning he was  
murdered, he asked his lawyer to  
remove you from it. His lawyer  
called you to tell you what was  
happening. We spoke to him, he said  
you two were intimate until Jared  
died. He recalls that you called  
him three times to ask him not to  
change it, then offered to pay him  
fifty thousand. He still had the  
receipt of the deposit. Then you  
called Jared, and On Time Delivery.  
You requested Annie as the delivery  
person. You told her supervisor  
that you'd be there in a window of  
seven-thirty to eight. Before she  
arrived, you killed your husband.

Michelle doesn't answer.

MAC  
We also found blood with your DNA  
under the knife handle. You cut  
your hand when you stabbed Jared.

He takes out a photograph of a hand with a cut on it. He shows it to her.

MAC  
You told the CSI who questioned you  
that night, that you had cut it  
while yachting with some friends.  
We typically see wounds like this  
when someone cuts herself while  
stabbing her husband eighteen times.

MICHELLE  
I didn't do this. She did.

Michelle points into the interview room.

MAC  
Based on the angle of the wounds,  
Annie Stohl couldn't have killed  
your ex-husband. She isn't tall  
enough. You killed your husband,  
and framed Annie Stohl for it.

MICHELLE  
Her fingerprints were all over the knife.

MAC  
Annie was a paramedic until she  
began her masters. She held the  
knife still in an attempt to save  
his life. The neighbor that helped  
her remembered her explaining why,  
just like a paramedic. You are  
under arrest for the murder of  
Jared Rapston.

Mac turns to the officer, nodding to him. The officer comes in and begins reciting the Miranda rights as he handcuffs her.

MICHELLE  
She claimed he raped her! Why would  
she try saving his life!

The officer leads her out.

MICHELLE  
I'm suing you! I'm suing the police  
department! I'm--

Her threats fade away. Mac looks back into the room, closing the file. Stella smiles at him as she leaves the room, patting his arm. Mac goes into the interview room.

INT. CSI - INTERVIEW ROOM A - DAY

Annie watches Mac walk in.

MAC  
Don, can you take care of this and  
come back for Annie?

Flack takes the file and leaves the room. Mac sits down in Flack's chair.

MAC  
You're cleared of Jared's murder,  
but there's still robbery and  
impersonating an officer.

ANNIE  
You forgot kidnapping.

MAC  
I'm not pressing charges.

She doesn't respond.

MAC  
Claire, my wife, always told people  
that being a CSI and catching  
criminals was in my blood. I'd  
forgotten about that until you said  
it. How did you know her?

ANNIE  
She worked on the floor above my  
parent's, and was friends with my  
mother. Most mornings, after I got  
off work, I would take all of them breakfast.

MAC  
I thought Jackie Stohl sounded  
familiar. On the morning of ...

Mac smiles, shakes his head a little.

MAC  
Never mind.

He starts to get up.

ANNIE  
I spoke to her the morning of 9/11,  
if that's what you were about to ask.

Mac sinks back onto the chair.

MAC  
What did she say?

Omitted

**INT. FLOOR 101 - WTC1 - MORNING (RE-ENACTMENT)**

**Annie, dressed as a paramedic, walks off the elevator. She's carrying a paper bag and a tray with two coffees. She turns left, walking down a hall. People know her, they exchange smiles.**

**She is a vibrant young woman, not the damaged soul she becomes later. She passes a clock that tells the date is September 11, 2001, and the time is 8:38 A.M.**

**INT. CLAIRE'S CUBICAL - MORNING (RE-ENACTMENT)**

**Annie steps in, finding CLAIRE Taylor on the phone. The two exchange smiles. Annie sets the sack and tray down, then waves one of the coffee cups under Claire's nose. Claire smiles, taking it. Annie starts sips from the last one.**

**CLAIRE  
(to phone)  
I'll bring them to you before the  
meeting. In an hour, sir.**

**Claire hangs up and falls back in her chair, taking the coffee.**

**CLAIRE  
You are a saint! I was late this  
morning and didn't get anything to  
eat. Thank you.**

**ANNIE  
Enjoying the hubby's assets, were we?**

**Claire laughs, shaking her head.**

**CLAIRE  
I wish! He had a double last night  
and got home an hour before I got  
up. I just... I had to watch him  
sleep. I love watching him sleep.**

**Annie picks up a framed photo of Mac and Claire from the desk.**

**ANNIE  
I hope I get lucky like you, Claire.**

**The phone rings and Claire answers it. Annie sets the picture back down.**

**CLAIRE  
Yes? Yes. Okay... Yes, I'll bring  
them down right now, sir.**

**She hangs up, grabbing her burrito and a stack of papers.**

**CLAIRE  
The dungeon master calls. I'll walk  
you to the elevator, he can wait  
for a few minutes.**

**INT. FLOOR 101 - WTC1 - MORNING (RE-ENACTMENT)**

**The two stroll to the elevator. The clock reads 8:40 A.M. -- six minutes to fate.**

**CLAIRE  
How's school going?**

**ANNIE  
Good. I have to choose a thesis  
topic. I was thinking of abuse to  
marine mammals in the bay, and I  
was wondering... Could you talk to  
Mac and see if he could get me some  
information or a ride along or something?**

**They stop at the elevator and she taps the button. Claire smiles.**

**CLAIRE  
I'll ask, but I don't think he  
will. Being a CSI and catching  
criminals is in my blood, but he  
has to do it by the book. He gets  
in a wicked mood if he finds anyone,  
including himself, has made a  
mistake on a case. I tease him  
about it all the time.**

**ANNIE  
People's lives are at stake. He  
should want to be a perfectionist.  
You shouldn't give him such a hard time.**

**CLAIRE  
But isn't that my job as a wife? I  
did vow to torment and pester him  
until the day we died.**

**ANNIE  
Was that actually in your vows?**

**CLAIRE  
Oh yeah. Right after he swore to  
give me all his money and not ask questions.**

**The two laugh. The doors open and Annie steps on.**

**ANNIE  
See you tomorrow Claire.**

**The doors close.**

**EXT. WORLD TRADE CENTER COMPLEX - MORNING (RE-ENACTMENT)**

**Annie exits the building, one body in the sea of hundreds. She lifts her coffee cup to take a drink and freezes. She hears the high-pitched whine of an airplane engine approaching. **

**Like other people, Annie starts looking for the source of the sound. She looks up and watches in horror as American Airlines Flight 11 slams into WTC 1 -- shattering Annie's life forever.**

**BACK TO THE SCENE**

INT. CSI - INTERVIEW ROOM A

ANNIE  
That's why I picked you. She didn't  
know it then, but she told me to.

An intense silence falls between Mac and Annie. Flack comes back in. He doesn't ask questions, he just walks over to Annie. She rises to let him handcuff her and they head toward the exit together.

MAC  
I turned in your thesis. You graduated.

She stops, looking back at him.

ANNIE  
Thank you.

The two leave, but Mac remains in his chair. Hearing Claire's last words is an emotional punch he wasn't expecting. So when a hand slides onto his shoulder, it startles him. Stella gives his shoulder a light squeeze.

STELLA  
I came back to tell you something  
and heard everything. Don did to.

Mac looks away. She sits in the chair next to him.

MAC  
She was Claire's friend. I have to  
help her get out of this mess.

STELLA  
We'll find a way. We won't give up  
until we do.

He nods.

FADE OUT.

END OF EPISODE

WGA # 1274171

Written by A. Rhea King


End file.
